Invasion 1.16 The Fittest review

The One Where: Kira turns up.

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AIR-DATE: 08/03/06

Written by:
Juan Carlos Coto

Director:
Fred Toye

Starring:
Elisabeth Moss, James Frain, Rocky Carroll and Jesus Mayorga

Rating: 3/5

Synopsis
Kira's in hospital with severe blood loss, following Derek and Christina's attempt to "hybridise" her in the ocean. They're on the run, after nicking a boat from Russell's office.

Larkin, Dave and Jesse visit Mariel at the hospital, who tries to explain to them that the reason she has seemed different is because of the night of the hurricane. Jesse clumsily asks if she's an alien, which embarrasses Larkin. She and Dave are reenergised in finding out what's going on, and decide to check out the military again. Larkin uses her on-site friend Vince but he's angry at her for creeping around the base last time.

While looking for Derek and Christina, Tom and Russell come across a gang of migrant workers. They find out that Derek and Christina killed one of them when he nicked a little of their food. Meanwhile, the hybrid pair have ensconced themselves in a shack, and Christina's recently developed pregnancy is getting even worse. Eventually Tom and Russell find her - and also find her belly glowing green. Ooh, I say. But as they attempt to capture her, Derek shows up. She kills him before escaping.

Larkin, meanwhile, has been given some photographs from the secret military base where "something is going on". In the photographs Szura is pointed out to him, and Larkin recognises him.

Tom and Derek are talking to someone... Gadzooks, it's Szura! Szura takes Derek back to where he escaped from. Russell, meanwhile, goes back to the range and finds his deputy dead. But he doesn't see a strange thing emerging from the plants behind him...

Review
Every time you think you've got Invasion sussed, it complicates things even more. In fact, I don't even know what questions to ask now. Best thing about this episode is seeing Russell and Tom team up and work together to find that bitch Christina. They're breaking up the characters a little more successfully as the season goes on. Either they're not in it very much (like Dave and Larkin in the previous episode) or Shaun Cassidy's got them grouped together in different teams, each working on one of the show's many mysteries. Didn't quite understand why Russell recognised Szura. Call me stoopid but it would have helped to have a bit more explanation here for thickos like me. It's meant to be one of the most dramatic moments of the episode but because it's not made clear, it risks being a bit of a damp squib to large sections of the audience (okay then, the ones like me).

Dialogue
Underlay: "You think we're descended from the three guys sitting in the cave sharing their buffalo? We're descended from the fourth guy that says, 'Hey, why don't I pick up this club and smack these other losers round the head and have the whole buffalo to myself?' That's our ancestor, that's survival. Survival is what it's all about!"

Steve O'Brien

SFX Magazine is the world's number one sci-fi, fantasy, and horror magazine published by Future PLC. Established in 1995, SFX Magazine prides itself on writing for its fans, welcoming geeks, collectors, and aficionados into its readership for over 25 years. Covering films, TV shows, books, comics, games, merch, and more, SFX Magazine is published every month. If you love it, chances are we do too and you'll find it in SFX.

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